Steps to Freedom
STEPS TO FREEDOM Episode Five, Season One, of Rise. Enjoy <3 Steps to Freedom Terran stays with me for a long time before releasing me. He still doesn’t speak as he slips back outside and closes the bramble screen behind me. I stay where I am, unable to break the silence that has been folded around me for so long. I don’t know how long I stay that way but when Terran steps back in, he’s accompanied with Karina. “What are we doing?” The dark gray she-cat bristles, “Korin told us to go hunting, Terran, not to spy on some poor--” She frowns at me. Terran doesn’t answer and begins to unravel my brambles. “Okay, now you’re taking her somewhere? Are you insane?” Karina demands. The gray-white tom helps me up. “Come on,” he whispers quietly, “we have to go.” I follow along, unsure what else I can do. The gray-white tom just feels so safe, despite being a Viper and an enemy. Karina curses quietly but stays with us, hiding us in the dark night with her dark gray pelt. She must have formed a plan with Terran early to know what to do in this sort of situation. Terran slips through the ferns and helps me into the shadows. “Stay here,” he murmurs. He disappears again and Karina curses once more. “I should have gone. Stupid tom, thinking he can be the hero. His white pelt will be so visible.” She shuts her mouth and turns to me. I stare back at her. Karina’s golden eyes are beautiful in this light, full of fire. “You’re a lot different from Terran,” I murmur. She shrugs. “Our parents always thought we should never have been in the same litter. We’re not even close to being like one another.” Terran emerges again with Emerald and Jewel. “Where’s Ruby?” I whisper, my eyes taking in my sisters. “The orange she-cat?” Karina frowns, “She was never with them.” “What?” I nearly yowl but Terran clamps my jaws shut. “Be quiet!” He hisses, “We don’t want to alert any of the other Vipers. I don’t know where your other sister is. Korin took her away as soon as we entered the camp with you four.” I flinch. “I can’t leave without Ruby.” “You have no choice,” Karina says, not unkindly. “If we don’t leave now, we’re not going to make it. Someone is going to find us for sure.” “Wait,” I stop Terran, “please.” The gray-white tom hesitates, his sky-blue eyes filled with obvious worry. “You’re not going to let me say no, are you?” He murmurs. I shake my head quickly and he sighs, “Come on, we’ll go together. I can’t risk leaving you two here any longer.” “We’ll be fine,” Karina argues, but I urgently press along with him. “Fine, I’ll just guard these two weaklings.” I glare at her but she gives me a fake smile instead. “Don’t worry, sweetie, if Terran says to protect them, I will.” I don’t have time to question the dark gray she-cat’s motives. I have to risk this and try to find Ruby. I can’t leave without all three of my sisters. We walk for a long time, with Terran stopping every few steps to scent the air. After a moment he stops. “This should be the back of Korin’s den if I’m not mistaken. If Ruby is anywhere, she’s probably with Korin.” I take a few shuddering breaths before following Terran as he begins to slowly unravel the undergrowth. I help him until we’re peering inside. Terran sucks in his breath and for a fleeting moment, I think he’s found Ruby. But he shakes his head and ducks his head back out. “It’s just Korin.” He whispers. I peek myself. Korin is sprawled on his nest, his eyes closed. I scan the den and like Terran said, there is no sign of my sister. We trek back to Karina and the others in silence. “Bryce,” Terran stops dead in his tracks, “where did we leave Karina and your sisters?” I quicken my pace so I’m standing next to him. “What do you mean?” “We left them here,” he swears, “where are they?” Fear runs through me. “What did Karina do to them?” I hiss furiously, pacing the area, trying to find evidence that would lead me to my sisters. I had already lost Ruby, I couldn’t lose Emerald and Jewel too. “It’s not Karina,” Terran frowns, “my sister wouldn’t do anything like that.” I’m not so sure myself but I don’t question the gray-white tom. If my relationship with my sisters means anything, Terran must love his sister very much. “Some Viper must have crossed their path so Karina took them somewhere else,” Terran’s sky-blue eyes are filled with worry, “she must have taken them to the Mud Den.” “The Mud Den?” I echo, but Terran is already scrambling through the undergrowth. I follow quickly. The deeper we go into Viper territory, the more scents I catch onto. Some of it is mingled with my sisters’ scent, as well as Karina’s. “Wait,” I stop Terran, remembering something Nightshadow had told me, “there’s a Clan cat. She’s Nightshadow’s sister, I don’t know her name though. You need to save her.” Terran pauses, his sky-blue eyes filled with interest. “Shadeflower?” I shrug helplessly, “Alright, I know who you’re talking about. I’ll go get her.” He hesitates, “You’ll be okay by yourself?” I nod. “I can blend into the night.” “The Mud Den is just up ahead. Watch for Viper soldiers. Karina should be inside the hidden den. Just say the phrase ‘let free the light’ and Karina will know it’s an ally.” I blink but Terran is already gone. I turn my paws towards where we were headed and stay low. Every few tail-lengths I whisper “Let free the light”, hoping Karina will hear me and not some Viper soldier. Suddenly, someone looms in front of me and I struggle to keep down a scream. “Hold it in,” Karina says roughly, “or you’ll cost us our lives.” I swallow my scream and I hug Jewel and Emerald. The little gray she-cat is trembling. “Come on,” I whisper, “Terran is getting Shadeflower.” “Who?” Karina frowns. “Nightshadow’s sister.” The dark gray she-cat rolls her eyes, “I’ll pretend I understand what you’re rambling about, dear, but let’s go. Did Terran say where he’s going to meet us?” I hesitate, about to tell her no, but Terran appears. “Let’s go,” he says roughly, “they’re right behind.” I hear the pound of pawsteps behind us and I don’t need Terran’s shout to run. We race through the forest of Viper territory and as we burst across the border onto the Coalition land, I hear the Vipers skid to a halt and give off yowls of frustration. I scoop up Emerald and lick Jewel’s head. “I’m so glad you two are alright,” I whisper fiercely, “I’m not going to let you get hurt, do you hear me? We’re going to be alright.” Emerald just nods mutely but Jewel looks at me with those blue eyes of hers and with a chill, I know she doesn’t quite think we can get past so easily. “Come on,” I murmur, dropping Emerald back to the ground, “let’s get to our new home.” ~ When we arrive, Terran and Karina are immediately surrounded. “Wait!” I say desperately, “They were helping me! I swear they aren’t--” Nightshadow leads me to the side. “Bryce,” he says urgently, “are you alright?” “Of course,” I frown at him, “Why wouldn’t I be?” He casts a glance at Terran and his sister. “You brought enemies into our camp!” He hisses, “You don’t really know them do you? They could just be tricking you.” Memories of being so close to Terran makes me snap, “They wouldn’t have gone through the effort of saving me and my sisters--” “''Saving you''?” Nightshadow looks so worried, “Bryce, where have you been?” Feathershine comes to join us before I can reply. “Oh Bryce,” she embraces me, “I’m so glad you’re safe.” Nightshadow looks frustrated but he touches noses with his girlfriend. “Look who’s here,” Feathershine nudges Nightshadow towards the entrance. Besides my sisters, one lone, dark-furred she-cat stands out. Already, cats are fawning over her and welcoming her back. The black tom goes rigid. “Shadeflower?” He whispers in wonder. His sister looks up, her beautiful amber eyes sparkling in the night. Nightshadow stands there, dumbfounded. “Go on,” Feathershine nudges her boyfriend towards the she-cat. Shadeflower steps forward herself. “Nightshadow,” she whispers, “I--” Nightshadow buries his head in her shoulder. “I thought I was never going to see you again,” he chokes out. Then he jerks his head up, “How did they know to save you?” He casts a confused look in my direction and I give him a smile. Terran is looking at me. I glance over and mouth: Thank you. He gives me a coy smile before Hawkstar orders the warriors to lead them to a prison area. Prison? I want to stop them but I know I can’t. Karina snarls at the Coalition warriors, which doesn’t help, but Terran keeps his eyes on me. I stare after him until the Coalition warriors thrust him away with Karina. “Are you sure you’re alright?” Feathershine fusses over me. “I’m fine,” I say, suddenly tired. I scoop my sisters and lead them to my den. We settle in my nest and I breathe in their sweet scents. All I can think of is Terran’s warm body wrapped around mine, comforting me. His blue eyes that sparkled even in the brightest sun. “Bryce?” Jewel is watching me. “Hm?” “Will Ruby be alright?” I feel my chest ache at the thought of my last sister. “She’ll be alright,” I lie, “we’ll find her soon and then we’ll be together once more.” “Promise?” Jewel closes her eyes. The words are lodged in my throat but I manage to choke them out. “Promise.” But as Jewel and Emerald fall asleep, I can only hope that I could keep that promise for my sisters’ sake and for my sake. As I begin to fall asleep, the image of Terran stays imprinted in my mind, along with my three sisters. The End. Category:Fan Fictions Category:Cchen3's Fanfics Category:Rise